


Steady

by Niki06381



Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Not Beta Read
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-17
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-12 22:07:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29516460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Niki06381/pseuds/Niki06381
Summary: Geroge is flying to Florida, and Clay is kind of really anxious about that. With each small interaction, he seems to notice something growing in him. Something that was planted a long time ago.
Relationships: Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF)
Comments: 15
Kudos: 111





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for all of my mistakes - English isn't my first language. Have fun reading! ^^

Clay was sitting at the airport, nervously tapping his leg against the floor. He was genuinely nervous, to the extent it was practically obscene and entirely uncalled for. George was about to land here, in Florida. He caught a plane from England to America's East coast more than 9 hours ago, the two of them talking up to the very point it was no longer possible. 

They had this moment planned out for months, impatiently waiting for the traveling ban to be lifted. Wasn't it for covid they would have met approximately a year ago, the dangerous virus keeping them separated for far too long. It was a blessing that the pandemic was truly over with, things going back to normal, or at least closer to how they used to be. 

As for the reason why Clay felt so nervous, it was probably because he still hasn't shown George what his face looks like, which right now he honestly debated if it was a good idea. 

He was uncertain why he hadn't done it by now. He should have just given in one of the times George begged him to. It would have made this moment the slightest bit easier. Not having to think about whether his appearance was enough. 

He could not understand why he was so anxious. Many people from their circle of friends had already seen his face, and he was perfectly okay with that. Maybe a little shy, but nothing compared to what was happening now. George was just different in some sense, and he had yet to figure out why. It was a little too late to think about it now, though. George was about to stroll through the arrival gate, searching for him. Clay was only hoping that he would be too disappointed. 

When his phone started to ring, he almost dropped on the floor, trying to take it out of his pocket. With trembling hands, and voice he picked up the call.

“Hello?”

“Hi.” The voice on the other side of the line sounded exhausted. “I just landed. Where should I meet you?”

“I’m waiting near the baggage claim.” He said, trying to regain some control over his tone. 

“Okay. I guess you will have to find me. The description of a tall, kind of blond dude is not really helpful right now.” George was unmistakably a little bit bitter about the no-face reveal. He had a full right to be. Clay hadn't truly treated him fairly when it came to the topic. 

“Yea… Maybe my persistence wasn't that bright of an idea.” It certainly wasn't. Why did he do that? Ah, right. Because he was nervous to send a picture, so he decided to leave it for their first face-to-face meeting. As if it was supposed to be more manageable. It wasn't. 

“You don’t say?” 

The area Clay was sitting in started to slowly fill up. Person after person coming through the entrance, each of them carrying some kind of baggage. No sight of George just yet, though. 

“Are you close?”

“Umm… Yea, I'll be there in a second.”

“Okay. I promise to find you before some other tall blond dude steals you away.” He tried to joke, but it came out a little bit stiff. 

“Stop it. I swear I made prolonged eye contact with at least 3 people by now. I was very uncomfortable, and I hate you.” An awkward laugh burst of Clay's lips, and he wasn't sure if it was from George's intonation or just the sheer nerves. Poor George. Eye contact with strangers had to be near the very top of the list of things he dreaded the most. “Okay, I'm here.”

Clay stood up from his seat and started threading through the crowd while looking for the short brunette. It was really crowded by now and difficult to navigate. He kept on taking deep, slow breaths and holding them in to calm himself before the confrontation.

“Can’t find you. You’re too short.” He joked to George through the phone, trying to ease himself, his eyes jumping from person to person.  
.  
“Ha, ha, ha. You're so funny, Dream.” George didn’t sound one bit impressed.

“Hmn…” A glimpse of a familiar mop of hair blinked in the corner of his vision, making his heart jump. “Stay where you are - I think I see you.”

“I’m gonna get stomped over.” Groaned George, but sure enough, it was him that Clay caught sight of. He was standing kind of awkwardly in the middle of the hall with people dodging around him and throwing in his direction rude glances. He had his eyes directed at the floor, hugging his backpack tightly to his chest, one hand holding the phone to his ear. 

As Clay got closer, he could discern just how tired the other looked. The whites in his eyes seemed a little bloodshot. His skin had an even paler than usual with a sheen of grey to it, and you could distinctly see the deep dark circles under his puffy eyes, standing out on his delicate features. Clay disconnected from the call, making him startle a little.

He smiled brightly, putting a brave face on, as George lifted his eyes and their sights crossed. He hoped that he didn’t look stupid. He could feel himself holding his breath, waiting for George’s reaction.

“Hi.” He said, almost breathlessly, his gaze looking at the tiny differences between real-life and on-camera George. 

The other didn’t respond right away, staring at Clay and making him even more self-conscious. Och, god, did he look stupid? Was there something wrong with his face? Was he smiling too widely? Maybe he had something stuck in his teeth? He could feel himself panicking, his body freezing in space, waiting for a reaction. A couple of awkward seconds passed before George snapped out of his haze and instantly flushed a bright red color up to the tips of his ears. 

“S- sorry. I’m kind of out of it.” He stuttered, clearly embarrassed. “Hi.”

“Yea, um… Welcome to Florida?” Clay responded, trying to sound natural but evidently failing. His heart was beating very loudly in his chest. Was his face okay? Was he as a whole? Did George like, or at the very least, not dislike the way he looked?

“Thank you for having me.” They continued to stare at each other, not knowing what to say next. “You look… good?”

Oh, he could feel some of the agitations leave his body. Maybe he was okay. He could tell that George meant what he said by the tone of his voice, even if it was unsure. The loosening of his nerves together with the awkwardness of the situation made Clay burst into laughter at the surrealism of it, George joining right in.

“What was that?” Asked Clay, finally reaching out to pull George closer and envelop him in a tight hug, at last feeling a little bit more like himself. He has been dreaming about this hug for far too long. 

“That was so weird.” Responded George, still giggling. His hands settled on Clay’s back, gripping the green hoodie he had on. He fitted so perfectly just under Clay’s chin, so soft and warm. They stayed in this position until the laughter died out. 

“You look tired.” Mentioned Clay as they separated and started moving towards the conveyor belt, dogging through the crowd and trying to stay close to each other. 

“Yea, I… haven’t slept on the plain. It was just way too loud and cramped. I hope the bed you have for me is comfortable. If it’s not, I’m stealing yours - I don’t care.” He sounded serious about that. 

“If you want to steep with me in one bed, you should just say so.” Teased Clay, slowly falling back into his usual self. 

“You’re such an idiot.” The older man rolled his eyes. “Do something useful and help me find my suitcase.”

“What does it look like?” He asked, looking at the amount of luggage rolling out, most of which looked almost the same.

“Black.” George deadpanned.

“That narrows it down by like, 3.” Said Clay taking his eyes off the belt and back to George, who only raised one of his eyebrows in non-verbal mocking. “I’m not going to be helpful with that amount of information.” He elaborated, feeling a little exasperated.

“You don’t have to - I already see it.”

“Then why...?” Clay stopped the thought and shook his head, proceeding to ruffle George's hair making the other yelp in protest. “Which one is it?” George glared at him harshly, visibly not impressed with his treatment. 

“The one with a green ribbon tied to the handle.”

Clay moved to get to it, setting it off the belt and extending the handle to pull it behind himself. He didn’t comment on the fact that George used a green ribbon as an indicator. He couldn't even see green.

“You can give me your backpack as well.” He said to George. “I want you to get to the car before you pass out from exhaustion.” George silently did as suggested, straightening slightly when the weight left his arms. The lack of protests further proving Clay's point. 

The car was parked close to the exit gate. George hopped in on the passenger seat as soon as the doors were unlocked. Clay put the luggage in the trunk. He made sure everything was secured, and then they were on their way home. They traveled in silence, Clay not even turning the radio on, wanting George to fall asleep, the other’s eyelids sticking together, but him still stubbornly clinging to consciousness. 

“You can sleep. I’ll carry you to bed if I have to.” He whispered in a soft voice to not shake the sleepiness off of George. That seemed to be enough for the brunette to finally give up and close his eyes completely. It was still quite early in Florida, so Clay would have to wake him after a few hours to make sure he would be able to have a full night of sleep later, but the nap was unquestionably very needed.

When they arrived at their destination, George was already asleep and mumbling something quietly. Clay had to carefully pull him off the seat and into his arms and maneuver opening all the doors to get him onto a mattress in a formally guest bedroom. George immediately snuggled into the blanket as soon as Clay converted him with it. He looked so precious like this, curled into himself and huffing soft puffs of air out his mouth. 

Clay checked the time. It was just after noon, and George will be ravenous as soon as he wakes up. He could just order a pizza or some other fast-food, but he felt like the other might prefer something healthy and home-made after all the plane food he had. They had something in a fridge, so hopefully, he can throw something together for them before George wakes up. 

\---

Clay was still standing near the stove, tossing some rice and vegetables on a frying pan, when George walked into the kitchen, yawning loudly. He glanced over his shoulder at the other, turning the heat down.

“I’m just about finished. You can just sit down and wait for a minute.”

“Oh, okay.” Quite shuffling reached his ears, symbolizing George taking his place at a table. “What did you make?” Clay reached for the plates dividing the dish into two portions. 

“Oh, just some fried brown rice with veggies, really simple, but still healthier than any fast food. I thought you might appreciate it after all the plane meals.” He turned to face George, the other radiating an aura of helplessness with his tousled hair and sleepy eyes. His face looked warm, the color much healthier after the nap. 

“I… I do. Thank you.” 

“No problem. How are you feeling after the nap?” 

“Better, but still tired.”

“Hopefully, you’ll get some good sleep later.” He set the plates on the table. “Dig in.”

They ate in silence, the only sound accompanying them being the noise of cutlery against the platters. It felt comfortable, though. Like they did not need to make conversation to enjoy each other's company. 

“You wanna play some Minecraft?” Asked Clay knowing that George didn’t have the energy for much more and would fall asleep if they decided on watching a movie. 

“Sure.”

“Okay.” He responded and stood up, moving to wash the dishes. “I’ll figure out the setup in a minute, and then we can do whatever you want.” 

Whatever George wanted to do turned out to be just creating their own little space in Minecraft together with a house, some pets, and a garden. It was nice to exchange ideas and build things together. They argued a bit about the design, punched each other in the game, and shoved a little in real life. It felt natural to have George right beside him rather than miles away in a completely different country. It was so much better to be able to see and hear George’s laugh in person. The monitor screen and headphones speakers hadn't done it justice. Hopefully, it could stay like this for longer. 

They were done at 9, both of them a little hungry and ready for a break. Dinner was comfortable, Clay once again throwing something simple together for them while George watched from the dining table. They cleaned together and then separated into their individual bathrooms. Warm goodnights were exchanged, and George left, while Clay stayed up for a short time longer to do some editing of a video he planned on posting on his channel and then talking for a bit with Sapnap on Discord, telling him how the first meeting went.

Laying in bed, he played moments from their first day together in his head. It was almost sickening how happy he was just to have the other around, how easy it was to be near George, how many of his thoughts centered around him. He wanted to share everything he was fond of with George. He wished to take him to his favorite places, show the best views, share the best food, create memories in every corner of Florida. They had a lot of time together for that, George was staying for almost 1 month, but somehow Clay already knew it wouldn’t be nearly enough.

\---


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy! ^^

The next morning found Clay awake quite early, already pacing around the house and preparing things to take with them to the beach. George hasn’t left his room yet, presumably still dozing. The weather looked promising, warm and sunny, and it would be a crime not to take advantage of it, especially since George rarely went to a beach back in England and had even fewer opportunities to go to a sandy one. Clay had already packed towels, blankets, sunscreen, and some picnic food. He had plans to stay outside for a long time, but they would have to be mindful of the sun since George isn’t used to the harsh rays with his delicate skin tone. 

With everything already thrown into the car, breakfast waiting for them on the table, it was time to check on George. It would be better to get going sooner rather than later to avoid the mass of people. Clay walked to the now George’s bedroom entry and delicately knocked on the doors before swinging them only a couple of inches open and taking a peek. 

George was still unconscious, laying on his side curled up and squeezing a pillow between his arms. He looked so cute and peaceful, only taking a slither of available space on the queen-sized bed. His lips were slightly parted with soft puffs of breath escaping through them, his fingers clenched into fists and clinging to the pillowcase with dear life.

Clay stepped into the room and approached the other with careful steps, unsure why he was trying to stay silent if the objective was to wake George up. As he gained an even closer look at just how peaceful the other seemed, he was starting to really debate waking him up right now, but it should be worth it in the end. 

“George.” He whispered. “It’s time to rise and shine.” A whine came from the other’s lips, making Clay chuckled slightly. “Up, up, Georgie. I have something planned for today.”

“Nooo. Leave me alone” The brown eyes blinked open and glared at him with an offended look in them before Goerge turned on his other side to face away from Clay.

“I made you waffles.” Mentioned Clay making the other perk slightly. 

“... Fine.” 

\---

The sand at the beach was so hot it hurt to walk on it. The sun was high in the sky, shining brightly. Rays were sinking into the skin and spreading warmth throughout the whole body. They managed to find their own patch of sand not too far from water and settled down there, unfolding a blanket and setting their things down. It was nice, not too windy, only a small breeze combining their hair in different directions. 

Clay threw a Goerge bottle of sunscreen with the highest SPF he could previously find in the store, having the other in mind while looking for it. He had another tube for himself, already more than half-used. He took off his clothes and squirted a little on his palm to distribute over his body. 

He was just about to ask George to do his back for him when he noticed that the other had a similar problem, struggling to reach some spots.

“Do you want help with your back?” He offered instead. 

“You… you don’t have to, I can do it myself.” Well, he might be able to reach all the way down his spine, but the distribution certainly wouldn't be even. He might end up tanning in splotches, some parts darker than others. 

“Just let me, I can do it better because I can actually see your back.” He insisted, already taking the tube out of George's hands. 

“That’s true. Okay, sure.” 

Clay gathered some sunscreen on his palms and gave it a second to warm up. Not wanting to startle George, he started from his shoulders and made his way down. He could feel George tense a little and then slowly relax when no cold liquid came with the touch. Clay made sure that every square inch of George’s skin was entirely covered before moving away.

“You’re all good.”

“Thanks.” George turned back around and looked him in the eyes. He had a slight blush on his cheeks, probably from the sun. “You want me to return the favor?” He asked.

“Sure.” Clay shrugged his arms turning around. 

George was very delicate with his hands, the touch very light and careful. It felt surprisingly good to have the sunscreen practically massaged into his spine with gentle palms. George would probably give heavenly massages, but that presumably wasn’t something he should be thinking about. As soon as George’s hands left his body, he stood up, seemingly innocently stretching, before turning around and starting to race toward the water shouting after himself:

“Last to the water is a loser!” 

“Wait, no. That’s not… Dream!” George shouted after him in a disgruntled tone, making Clay laugh. By the time George stood up from the blanket, he was already knee-high in the ocean and smiling back at George, who had an unimpressed look on his face. Clay watched him approach him at a slow pace with arms crossed over his chest. He only had a millisecond to register the blink in George’s eyes before the other splashed him, and a war had begun.

They both laughed while chasing and circling around each other, trying to attack. Clay had a clear advantage of having longer legs, which made it easier to escape, bigger hands, which made it possible to splash larger amounts of water, but a disadvantage of a wider frame, which made it harder to maneuver. 

“Come here, George!” He shouted, a reference to their manhunts, this time in real life. They continued to taunt each other and scream while trying to dodge or charge. The people around them probably weren't too happy with their antics, but they were too into it to mind. They were currently glaring at each other, holding their stances while trying to predict the other’s next move. 

“I’m gonna get you Dream.” Half-threatened George.

“Och, really?” Responded Clay with a sly smile stretching on his face before he threw himself across the distance between them, catching George in his trajectory and pulling them both underwater. George coughed and sputtered water after his head emerged over the surface, throwing looks at Clay, that promised murder. Clay only smiled in return, watching the other's looks soften before the smile got reciprocated in a mutual fondness. 

After that, the rest of the time spent in the sea was much calmer. They swam around and looked for clams, Clay showing George different kinds and sharing any interesting facts about them he could remember. When they finally decided to go back to their own spot, they both felt pleasantly tired. Clay took out previously prepared sandwiches and drinks from his bag and passed one of each to George, the other thanking him quietly and immediately bitting in, evidently hungry. It was getting close to noon, and Clay didn’t want George to be out in the sun at the harshest hours. The other was definitely not used to this amount of sun, so it was getting to about the time to pack all of their stuff and start heading back home. It wouldn’t be that fun of a next week or two if George got burned badly. 

“You wanna get some ice cream? I know a good place close.”

“God, yes.” Exclaimed George. “Something cold sounds amazing.” He did look a little flushed, his body not dealing as well with the excess heat, even in water. 

“Okay, help me pack then. We can leave our stuff in the car and walk there.” 

Clay stood up and started folding their towels while George picked up their bottles and lunch boxes. Together, they folded the big blanket and started walking back. Clay started navigating between people while George stayed behind, not too good at weaving in between the crowd. Once he realized that the brown-haired man stayed behind, Clay snickered and went back to grab the other hand and pull him behind himself. George returned the grip, squeezing his fingers harshly to not get separated. Their hands did not detach before they got to the car. 

The place Clay had in mind was a small ice-cream shop nearby. This kind of establishment always had the best stuff, and judging by the pleased look on George’s face, he certainly agreed. 

“I was wondering…” Started the sentence Clay. 

“Yes?” 

“Do you want to stream today? Like, a shared one, either on my or your channel.” They just had to do a stream, even if not today, but it felt like a good thing to do at home after all the outside excitement. 

“Yea, sure! It’ll be awesome.” George exclaimed excitedly. “We can hang out on the SMP and just mess around.” 

“Yea, we can just chill and freak everyone else out.” 

“Exactly!” 

\---

Back at home, they gave themself a couple of hours for washing up, eating some take out from a nearby restaurant (Neither Clay nor George feet like cooking themselves that day.), and resting for a bit before setting up the stream. Clay already had a setup prepared for George, as they knew that they would want to stream together, so it was just a matter of checking if everything worked correctly and that Clay was sitting far away enough from the frame of the camera to not risk an accidental face reveal. 

“So, how obvious do you want to make it that you’re here?” Asked Clay from his chair.

“I’m not sure. I want to have a bit of fun before the secret's out.” Responded George, one click away from starting the stream. “I guess it should come out naturally, like, the lighting is different even if you have the green screen, and I think you’ll just sound different from next to me rather than from a discord call.”

“That is true.” He shrugged his shoulders. “So, ready?”

“Ready.” 

George welcomed everyone with a big smile on his face describing what today’s plan was. They had some fun just messing around like they usually did. As expected questions about the new lighting appeared pretty soon. George kept on looking to his side at Clay while talking to him only feeding the fire. It all went down when they connected to a VC to talk with Bad and he confusedly asked:

“How is Dream talking? Do you have him on a speaker, George? I don’t see him in the VC?”

They met each other's eyes and laughed at the same time.

“Yea, okay, fine. Dream is here, with me, or should I rather say that I am with him, as I am in Florida right now.” Finally broke the news, George. Chat started spamming so much it was impossible to catch anything on the fast-moving wall of text. 

“Och, cool.” Responded Bad. “Are you staying for long?” 

“For a month.” Questions came through the donations. “I’m sorry Bad, it was nice talking to you, but I think we have to talk with chat for a bit.” 

“Sure, bye!” George disconnected from the VC and turned his attention back to the donations.

“Is Dream treating you well?” He read and laughed. “I’m not too sure. I guess that he does feed me, but I don’t know. He didn’t let me get enough sleep today. “

“Hey!” Protested Clay. “It was worth it, wasn’t it? I treat you wonderfully.” 

George pretended to have another opinion, raising his eyebrows and pulling his lips tight. Clay squeezed his eyes at him, glaring with a menace before both of them gave up to replace the expressions with more fond smiles. 

“I suppose it was.” 

“Is Dream as good-looking as he says he is?” He reads the next question. “I don’t know. Am I Georgie?” He wiggles his eyebrows at him. He was genuinely curious. Did George think he was good-looking? He did say he looked good at the airport, but that didn’t actually mean that he thought he was handsome or something. He genuinely wanted George to find him attractive... objectively.

“I’m not going to sit here and inflate your ego even more.” Responded George rolling his eyes at him. 

“So what you’re saying is that your answer would inflate my ego?” He teased, but his heart started to beat a little faster.

“I… Shut up.” George’s face flushed a little. That was enough to make Clay’s pounding cardiac organ jump up to his throat. He felt different kinds of happiness and ease creeping onto him. 

“Don’t worry George. I think you are very pretty as well..” He started nonchalantly, but he couldn’t leave it just at that. “And extremely short.”

George looked possibly indignant at the remark, playing up his response. 

“That last part was just unnecessary.” He responded grumpily. “You see chat, I am treated just horribly. Clay doesn’t appreciate me half as much as he should.” 

“I treat you horribly? I made you waffles this morning!” He faked a sniff. “I feel like it’s you not appreciating me!”

“... Whatever.”

More laughter followed after that. They kept on answering questions while bickering with each other. Clay would even sometimes reach to pull George's chair closer to himself to poke him for making fun of him, making George emit high-pitched yelps. The whole stream was a blast, it felt even more natural to interact with George in this way than usually as if the act of being able to touch and be in each other's space fitted right into their relationship. After more than 3 hours, Clay could feel his cheeks hurt from all the smiling.

“Are you hungry?” He asked George after they said their goodbyes and ended the stream. 

“I could go for something.” Responded George stretching out while sitting, his shirt riding up to expose a slimmer of his stomach. _His skin looks extremely soft._ Clay shook that thought out of his mind. He saw George without a shirt before, so there was certainly no need for those kinds of things to be entering his brain. 

“Sure, you can relax and I’ll put something together.” 

“Can I help?” Asked George standing up and following him to the kitchen.

“Yea, let me just figure out what we’re doing.” He opened the fridge and looked through the ingredients. There wasn’t that much left, they’d have to go shopping tomorrow. 

“Does vegetable curry with rice sounds good?” He asked, pulling some ingredients out.

“It sounds amazing.” 

“Good.” He reached for a cutting board and a knife, setting it in on a kitchen aisle next to where George was standing. “Can you cut those into dice-sized pieces?” 

“Sure.” 

They worked in silence, Clay cooking rice and frying the vegetables George cut. They moved so easily around each other in the tight space between counters, passing ingredients and washing things as they went. George stayed near Clay, looking at his hand when all that was left to do was to wait for the curry to be done.

“It smells really good.” 

“Thank you. ” Clay responded, a small smile appearing on his face. “It’s almost done. Can you prepare the plates and cutlery? Plates are in the cupboard to the left, and cutlery is in the second drawer from the sink.”

George moved from his position and shuffled around him. He could hear the characteristic clinging of spoons and the slight squeak of a cupboard being opened. 

“You are really mean to me.” Said George.

“What? Why?” Asked Clay and turned around to see George glaring at him. The cupboard next to him was wide open, the plates laying on the second top-high shelf, being just high enough for George to have trouble reaching them. 

“Och, sorry.” He started laughing and reached to pass the two plates to George, who still had a grumpy look on his face. Clay just could stop himself from ruffling the other’s hair a little bit, which, fortunately, didn’t sour George even more. “You can take yourself a portion already.”

The meal turned out remarkably good and was gone from the plates in what seemed like mere seconds, both of them nearly inhaling their portions. After finishing, George insisted on being the one to wash the dishes, his mood completely lightened after eating something. Clay was the one to wipe everything dry and put it back in its respective place. He made a mental note to himself to remember to put the most used things on lower shelves. 

It was getting close to 8 PM by the time they both ended on the couch in the living room. Clay sat mostly straight on one end of it with George leaning against the armrest on the other side with his legs bent a little to fit in the space between them. They were both scrolling on their phones trying to catch up a little bit with what was going on in the world, comfortable to be in each other’s proximity while doing so. 

George’s legs slowly relaxed and soon enough they were touching Clay’s tights. Without thinking, he took hold of them and put them across his lap. He left one of his hands on George’s ankles to ensure that his legs would not slip from their position, with the other holding his phone. Neither of them found it necessary to comment on the action, George only lifting his head for a second to register his new position before going back to what he was doing before. They lasted like that for about an hour before George started yawning. 

“Are you already tired?” Asked Clay. It wasn’t that late in the day.

“Somebody woke me up early.” Responded George in a non-accusing tone. “And I think the jetlag is still affecting me a bit.” 

“Do you want to go to bed now?” 

“Hmn… I don’t know.” Said George yawing once again. “I'm kind of comfortable here.” 

“Am I gonna end up having to carry you to bed again?” Clay looked at George, whose eyes were already closed, his whole body smuggled into the couch as much as it was possible. 

“Mmmm, you could.” George was practically gone after saying that, all his features relaxing, breath slowing down and deepening. Clay waited another 5 minutes before pulling George in his arms to carefully lift him without waking him. 

“You really shouldn’t sleep in your clothes.” Whispered Clay, even though he knew George couldn’t hear him. He laid him gently on the bed and covered him with a blanket. He stayed a few seconds to just stare at George. The other was a pretty sleeper, the look on his face so relaxed with his eyelashes casting long shadows onto his slightly reddened, with sun and warmth, cheekbones. The sight was so precious it was almost a shame to leave and close the doors behind himself.

\---


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, this work is finished now, so I will probably update the rest of the chapters either today or tomorrow. This chapter was my favorite to write, so I hope some of you will like it :)

“We have to go grocery shopping today.” Mentioned Clay during breakfast while they were still munchkin on their toasts. He didn't have much stocked both in his fridge and pantry for the exact reason that he wanted to go shopping with George for the other to be able to choose some things he liked for himself. “Think about what you would like to eat in the next couple of days.”

“Can we get some snacks?” Asked George, lifting his eyes from the plate and taking a sharp breath in as if a brilliant thought just appeared in his head. 

“Is that all you want?” Laughed Clay. “Snacks? What about some normal food?” 

“Well, you can be in charge of normal food, and I’ll be in charge of snacks.” 

“Hmn… sure, Georgie. Make sure to leave some chocolate raisins for others to buy.”

“Hey! I... “ He started as if he wanted to deny that was what he was going for, but then stopped himself. “Fine.” 

Getting ready didn’t take too long, but George kept on running from one side of the house to the other, gathering things he wanted to take with himself. He looked excited to go shopping, all happy and bouncy, which was very entertaining to watch. Clay hadn’t really had an occasion to see the other like this before, limited mostly to the moment they spent sitting in a chair in front of a monitor, so this was a new, but certainly not bad, thing. Who thought George could be this animated when he felt happy?

“I’m ready.” Proclaimed George after standing up from tying up his shoelaces. 

“Then let’s go.” They walked to the car, Clay making sure to close the doors behind them. “It’s only a five minutes drive, so it shouldn’t take too long overall.”

“Och, I wouldn’t mind either way.” Responded George fastening his seatbelt. “Do you have a list?”

“I do, it’s on my phone. You wanna go through it and add some things?” He started the car.

“Oh, sure.” 

“There you go.” Said Clay passing him his phone, one hand on the wheel. “The password is 0298.” 

“Thanks.” 

It truly wasn’t long of a ride before Clay was parking his car at a parking lot. George passed him back his phone while they were walking to the entrance and insisted on being the one to lead the shopping cart. Clay would guide them between different sections reciting products from the list while they both looked for them. He got so absorbed in finding the right things he didn’t even notice when George disappeared from his side. 

“Do you like sweet potatoes?” Asked Clay looking at the options in the vegetable section. “I know a good recipe for baked sweet potatoes we could try.” When no response came back, he turned to face the direction where he expected George to stand, only to find the area empty. He blinked a couple of times as if expecting the other to suddenly reappear. “George?” 

He started walking around looking for the other. He was sure George was right next to him not even a minute ago. How the heck did he suddenly disappear? He turned one alleyway to the right, and sure enough, he caught sight of George right in the middle of it. The brown-haired man was standing kind of rigidly, holding himself with his arms while talking to a young woman. The girl looked very eager to talk to him, one hand motioning something lively in the air while the other was holding onto a dude that was easily half a head larger than George and staring at him menacingly. 

Clay hesitated with coming closer. He didn’t want to give out his identity but seeing how uncomfortable George was with the glaring, he quickly put aside his own reluctance and approached in long steps. He could feel a wave of protectiveness agitating through his whole body, making him walk even faster. He saw the exact moment George caught sight of him over the girl's head and almost immediately relaxed, even if not completely. Clay walked all the way to stand right next to his best friend’s side, throwing one arm over his shoulders in a protective manner. 

“Hey.” He said directing it to no one. George looked at him with relief visible in his eyes.

“OMG, Dream?!” The girl practically screamed, her eyes opening wide. Clay smiled back, his eyes centering on the guy who now backed away a little bit. He might have looked threateningly next to George, but Clay had a good few inches on him both in height and in the built. 

“I’m sorry, but can I steal my George back?” He asked, his attention going back to the man pressed against him, their eyes meeting, a grateful look in the brown irises. 

“Oh, yes, sure.” The girl responded. “We’ll leave you alone now. It was nice meeting you.” She pulled her presumably boyfriend and walked away. He felt bad for her, as she seemed genuinely nice. If it was indeed her boyfriend, she definitely deserved better. He watched them walk until they were no longer in his sight. He kept his arm around George, keeping him close. He sighed deeply.

“You leave my side for 5 minutes, and look what happens.” 

“Sorry. ” George answered timidly. 

“It’s fine.” Said Clay combing his hair out of his face with his fingers. “I just can’t let you out of my sight.”

He took hold of the cart with one hand and started steering it back to where he was before he had to perform a rescue mission for George, still not letting the other leave his hold. 

“I was going to ask you if you like sweet potatoes. I had a recipe in mind.”

“I do.” 

“Good.” 

The rest of their shopping went undisturbed, even if they did manage to catch a glimpse of the same pair once more. Clay completely ignored George when he suggested being the one to pay. He didn’t want George to bear any costs while he was here. It was enough that the other didn’t let him pay for the plane tickets, which he was still a bit sour about as he wanted the trip to be a present. They bought a lot, perhaps even went a little overboard, but somehow managed to bring everything in just one trip. It was fine. It just meant that they won't have to go back too soon. 

“You want to go out today?” Asked Clay after they were done with putting the groceries away. “We could have a picnic somewhere.” 

“I don’t know. I’m kind of hungry right now.” 

“Hmn…” Hummed Clay in response. “How about we make some food now, and then have something light during the picnic. You did pick up some muffins from the store.” 

“Oh, sure. I’d like that. Are we making the sweet potato thing today?”

“If you want to.” 

“I want to try.” 

“Okay then.” 

\---

“Where are you taking me?” Asked George during their ride.

“You’ll see. It’s one of my favorite places.” Clay responded secretly. He knew a spot not too far from the ocean that had a remarkably nice view and was somewhat secluded. With a little bit of luck, they would have some privacy to just enjoy their time. “I promise you’ll like it.” 

“I never doubted that.” Replied George bringing a smile on Clay’s face.

“It’s a little bit of a walk. I hope you don’t mind."

“As long as I’m not the one to carry the bag.” Clay would have rolled his eyes if he wasn’t concentrating on not getting them into an accident.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be the one to carry it.” 

Another half an hour passed before they arrived at their destination. Clay grabbed their things from the trunk, and they were on their way, this time on foot. Clay led George through the path while they talked about some random things, laughing genuinely at each other’s stories. Clay would have to sometimes catch George when the other stumbled and hold his hand while there was a particularly steep hill to climb. At last, they came close to the place Clay wanted to share with George. 

“Okay, George, here we are.” Said Clay motioning to the view stretching before their eyes. They were standing on a nice patch of grass near a cliff. A stretch of deep blue water spreading over the horizon, glistening in the sun. “What do you think?” 

“Wow. It’s… really beautiful here. “ George’s eyes glimmered, the rays reflecting in the brown irises, making them look almost golden. George looked nearly ethereal with his eyes opened wide and filled with wonder, lips stretched in a soft smile, his hair messed up by the wind, and skin slightly flushed from the hike. _He’s really beautiful._ The thought appeared in Clay’s mind. He always thought George was pretty, but there was something different with the way he saw him right now. 

“It really is.” He said, his gaze still directed straight at George. He blinked a couple of times before he managed to break from the daze. “Help me set things up?” George turned, directing his smile straight at him, making all air leave his lungs.

“Sure.” 

Together they set their blanket on the grass and laid down next to each other. It felt so heavenly to just relax on the soft ground and let the warm breeze comb through their hair. Clay felt as if he could exist in this state forever, especially with George close enough for their shoulders to touch. 

“You know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen the sky be this bright of a color.” Said George. “In England, even on sunny days, it's never just so… blue.” 

Clay felt speechless at that confession. He could feel that this moment will be one that he would keep coming back to, reliving again and again and basking in the ambiance of it. As he turned to look at George he could sense something he couldn’t quite name fill his chest and raise up to his throat. 

“I was nervous to fly here.” George snapped Clay out of his deep thoughts. “I don’t really like flying, and it was genuinely nerve-wracking to have the prospect of seeing you for the first time after so many years. I feel like I wanted to see you for so long it became almost terrifying to end this wait.” He continued, Clay listening closely without chiming in. “For some reason I was worried it would be different, being close to you. As if something would change.” George turned, meeting his gaze, a new kind of smile on his lips, one that Clay hadn't seen before. “It’s been not even three whole days, and it’s been nothing but amazing. I feel almost stupid now for worrying.” 

“I was worried too.” Responded Clay, wanting to give back to George for him opening up. It felt so important to meet him where he stood, something fluttering in his stomach and urging him to talk, to express his own thoughts and feelings. “I’m not really insecure, but somehow it was straight-up scary to have you see my face. I didn’t want you to be disappointed. It was as if I built all this anticipation around the reveal that I could never possibly live up to it.”

“But you did.” This sentence shook Clay from the inside out, he could feel a warm wave spreading from his chest and passing through his body. They stared at each other, something starting to form between them, not tangible just yet, but unmistakably there. 

They stayed on the blanket for hours, looking at clouds and trying to name the shapes. Sun shining down on them and wind roaming through the grass and tree branches. Their fingers slightly sticky after eating some of the muffins they brought with them. _I don’t want to ever have to live without this._

\---

The road back home was filled with comfortable silence, not counting the music coming from the radio. George was once again a little bit sleepy, and Clay felt like it was going to be a reoccurring thing. He did, however, manage not to pass away before they arrived. Before they split, to go sleep in their separate rooms, Clay, after a little bit of hesitation, pulled George into a goodnight hug. George reciprocated the hold instantly and rested his cheek against Clay’s chest for a couple of seconds. Soft words wishing good dreams were exchanged, and then they both left to fall onto their corresponding beds. 

Clay could feel his cheeks burn and his heart beat loudly in his chest as he laid with his eyes still open. There was definitely something growing deep inside of his consciousness, and for some reason, he couldn't wait for it to blossom. He could feel it would change some things, but he felt excited about those changes as if everything was going to get so much better if he only allowed them to. 

\---


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two more to go :)

The sun was shining brightly through the blinds in Clay’s bedroom, enveloping the room in a soft glow. He was already up and making pancakes in the kitchen while humming slightly to the music coming from his phone. He poured the remains of batter on the frying pan and put away the bowl into the sink. He heard a noise of soft steps coming from behind him, George approaching the kitchen after waking up. 

“Good morning.” Said Clay, glancing at George, who walked in still barefoot and in his pajamas. 

“Morning…” George yawned. 

“You should sit down, I'm almost finished.” Suggested Clay taking the last pancake off the pan and putting it onto a stack on one of two plates. “What do you like your pancakes with?”

“Do we have any jam?” Asked George. Clay nodded in response and moved to get a variety from a pantry. 

“We have quite a few.” He said, putting several jars on the table. “Help yourself.” 

“Thank you.” George smiled up at him and then dug in. There came a soft kind of happiness from providing for George and sharing things with him. If only George knew how much power he held over Clay.

“I think we should stay in today.” Started saying Clay. “The two days of the sun were a little much for you.” He continued, motioning with his hand to the permanent slight blush stretching across George's nose and cheekbones. He wanted to reach and soothe the skin with his touch so badly. “We could play some Minecraft or watch a movie or two.”

“Yea, that might be nice. A movie sounds great.” George smiled sweetly. 

After breakfast, George arranged himself on the couch in a comfortable position and started looking through their options while Clay stayed behind in the kitchen, making them some popcorn. 

“Did you find something?” Asked Clay, walking into the living room with a big bowl in his hands. He glanced at the TV screen to see an already selected video. 

“Yep.” 

“Let’s play it then.”

Clay sat on the couch, trying to engross himself in the movie, from time to time providing quiet commentary that made George giggle a little. He kept on catching himself looking at George rather than at the TV screen. The other had such a nice side profile, his features so distinct and yet so soft. From this angle, Clay could see just how long his eyelashes were. 

With time Clay noticed that they migrated a little bit closer, their shoulders now rubbing against each other with their every move. When the first movie ended, George immediately proposed a second one. By the time the ending credits were rolling on the screen, their sides were practically mushed together, and Clay wasn’t sure whose fault that was. 

He felt super conscious about all the points at which they touched, his shoulder feeling almost tingly with the sensations. His hands were nearly trembling with the want to reach out and take one of George's palms into his. He kept on thinking whether George would feel comfortable with that and debating with himself to just go for it. In the end, the second movie ended before he reached a decision. 

George stretched himself, his bones slightly cracking after spending a few hours in the same position. A quiet sight left his lips as he turned to face Clay and smiled at him softly. 

“Let me take you out for lunch. ” Said Clay quietly, surprising even himself, but not regretting what left his mouth.

“I thought you said it was an 'in' day. ” Responded George, also whispering, his face so close to his. 

“We’ll choose a table inside.”

“Okay.”

They didn’t go anywhere too fancy, as it was way too late to make a reservation and also not what they were going for. Instead, they’ve found a nice little establishment with a free table and settled down there. The Place was nice, decorated mostly in blues, and had a calm atmosphere. It offered a wide variety of meals and a very welcoming waiter that brought them to their table and handed out menus. The whole area smelled heavenly, an aroma of different spices mixing in the air and creating something entirely unique. 

"What would you recommend?" Asked him George. 

"Depends what you are in the mood for." He replied. "Do you want something light or fulling?" 

"Hmn... something light, I think. But I also want to try something that I wouldn't be able to get back in England." 

"How about I order for you. It'll be a surprise." He proposed.

"As long as you don't scam me and get me something disgusting." George retorted, squinting his eyes in distrust. He looked adorable, with his face scrunched up like that. 

"I promise to get you something good." He said, laying his hand over his heart in a vow. 

When the waiter came back Clay placed an order for them both. Their drinks were brought first, George getting an apple juice, obviously. The meals that were put down on a table in front of them looked fantastic, if in a little too big portions. They both immediately dug in, their appetite spiked up from the time spent waiting surrounded by the smells. 

“This is really good.” Commented George after taking his first bite. 

“It truly is.” Agreed Clay, with a fork still in his mouth. The conversation died at this point, replaced by the sound of cutlery bumping against plates. It took a little bit of strong will to eat everything on their plates, especially for George, who was essentially done halfway through. Clay could feel drowsiness settling inside of him after consuming such a big meal. They didn’t linger in the restaurant for too long as there was a waiting line and they didn’t want to occupy the table from other customers. 

“I feel so spoiled. ” George said on their way back to the car. “I won’t ever want to leave.” 

“Good.” The statement was spoken in such a firm tone, that it made George rapidly turn his head, a questioning look in his eyes. Clay surprised himself as well, with that proclamation. They have only been living together for a few days and it wasn’t nearly enough time to be sure that nothing would change and that they were good with living together indefinitely, but somehow Clay truly didn’t want George to leave. He wouldn’t further on the topic just yet, though. They had time to figure that one out, he had time to figure himself out, and he definitely didn’t want to pressure George into making any kind of decision just yet. “I want you to enjoy yourself.” He communicated instead.

“I am.” 

\---

"Was there something you really wanted to see in Florida?" Asked Clay.

They were back home, sitting down on the floor and playing chess. George noticed the board laying on a shelf in the living room and insisted on playing a few rounds. It was fun, their score matched up right now with the number of matches won and lost. 

"Well, Harry Potter World, obviously. " He said, concentrating on his next move. 

"You're such a nerd." Teased him Clay. "But we can definitely do that." 

George lifted his face at that, a questioning look on his face. He looked as if he wanted to say something, but wasn't sure how to start.

"What?" Asked him Clay, curious what was on his mind.

"It's just... Are you sure?" He inquired, his brows furrowing in worry. " It's almost certain that we'll meet some of our fans there, and it wouldn't be too difficult to guess who you are if they see you with me. I know most of them will be respectful, but there is no way some pictures won't appear on the internet. I don't think this is how you want your face reveal to go."

George had a point. He didn't want pictures of him to start circulating before he did an official face reveal, but the thing was - wasn't it a high time to show his fans what he looked like? He said previously he would do one after the quarantine ended. Would it be absolutely nerve-wracking? Yes. Would it be much easier to do now, while having George next to him for mental support? Also yes. 

They already went to the beach, which, if you think about it, was kind of risky. And they did meet one of their fans on their grocery run. 

He wanted them to be able to enjoy themselves. He had a lot of plans, many of them linked to very public spaces, and if this was what was keeping them from doing whatever they wanted to it was clearly time to remove this obstacle. He felt as ready as he would ever be, but George didn't know that yet. 

“You know, I… I don’t really care about my face reveal anymore.'' He said, truly meaning it. George all straightened up looking at him with slight shock in his eyes, his attention now completely pulled away from the board. 

“What do you mean you don't care anymore?” George asked him, looking at him as if someone replaced him with a doppelganger.

"Exactly what I said. You've already seen my face and it was the one thing I was most nervous about and wanted to do before releasing my looks to the public. " He tried explaining. "I don't want this to be something that keeps us from going places."

"I... just like that?" George moved closer to him, his eyes searching for something in his, maybe certainty. 

"It's not really just like that." He said, shaking his head. "I've been thinking about it a lot, worrying about it way too much. Do not misunderstand me, Georgie, I'm still anxious about it, incredibly so."

"You know you don't have to, right?" He said with passion as if needing Clay to understand. "Just being with you is more than enough, we could not ever leave the house and I would still be the happiest I've ever been just being here." 

Clay could feel his jaw drop slightly open, his mind going blank. George froze after the words left his mouth and then flushed in an angry red, his gaze falling in embarrassment. It took a second for Clay to recover, swallow the gull in his throat, and gather himself back together. 

Slowly, he reached with his hand and laid it delicately on top of George's, their hands resting on the floor next to the chessboard. His heart was beating so fast, the thunderings echoing in his head. He let his thumb massage gentle circles into the back of George's palm.

"I am very happy having you here as well." He whispered to him. "It's this warm feeling in my chest, the way you make me smile, how easy it is to be together." 

He could see George becoming possibly even redder, trying to hide while remaining in place. He wanted to lift his chin with his thumb to make their gazes meet once again, but decided against it, giving George time to process both his own and Clay's words. 

"I just don't want you to do this until you're certain." The other whispered finally, his hand twitching under Clay's, but not pulling away. His position opening up, slowly recovering from the shock.

"I promise I am." He said gently. "I wouldn't bring this up if I didn't feel as ready as I could." He searched for the other's gaze, trying to meet his eyes. " I'll be fine with you next to me. " 

"Okay then." Said George. "However you want to do this."

They didn't continue the topic for today, rather going back to their game. Clay's hand lingered on its spot before pulling away reluctantly. The rest of the day was spent nearby, enjoying each other's presence in their space. 

When night came, George surprised him by being the one to initiate the same good night hug Clay gave him yesterday. His hold was so firm, yet so delicate, his frame feeling so small in Clay’s arms. Clay could easily cover his whole body with his, the embrace making him think of how it would feel to have George lay down next to him, to be able to hold him through the night. 

\---


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last chapter will be the shortest one :)

When Clay walked into the kitchen the next morning, George was already there and cooking something on the stove. He looked adorable, his hair all tousled, the counter reaching almost to his waist. 

"Good morning." He said to the brunette, coming closer to look over his shoulder at what was sizzling on the pan. 

"Good morning Dream." He said back, turning his head to smile at him, his hands busy. "I'm making eggs and toasts." 

"Hmm..." He hummed. "Smells good." The aroma of toasted bread and scrambled eggs filling the kitchen area. 

"Thank you~. " George answered in a singing tone. "It'll be done in a second." 

"Okay." He said and moved to sit down on his usual spot near the table. He watched George finish cooking and divide the food into two portions, one smaller than the other. The other laid the plates on the table but hesitated before sitting down. He looked at Clay in quiet consideration, visibly thinking something through. He could nearly hear George debate with himself in his head.

"Can you stand up for a moment?" He asked him, reaching a conclusion.

"Sure." Answered Clay, not sure what this was about. Slowly, he rose up from his seat, observing George's reaction. George's internal conflict was replaced with determination. Once on his legs, George nodded his head and then fitted himself in his arms, Clay immediately returning the hold. He placed his hands around George's waist, the other's hands settling on his shoulder blades. 

"Hi. " George said into his chest. Clay let his face rest on top of the other's head. He could smell the fresh scent of shampoo, silky strands of hair tickling him slightly.

"Hi." He said back, pleasantly surprised. They stayed like that for quite a while, neither of them pulling away. Clay breathed in everything that was George. His warmth, the softness of his hair, the quiet pulse of his heart. The rhythms of their breaths synchronizing together. 

"The food will get cold." Whispered George. Clay sighed deeply. He didn't want to pull away, but a moment in which he would want that, would never come, so with quite a bit of reluctance, he put some space between them. 

"Let's eat then." 

They sat next to each other, their shoulders touching. It was a good thing that George was left-handed and they could do that without it hindering their eating. 

"So..." George started, looking uncertain whether to start this conversation. 

"Yes?" He asked, curious.

"Have you thought about the face reveal? How do you want to do it? If you're still sure, I mean." Clay softened, George looked genuinely worried for him and as if he was about to scold himself for bringing it up. 

Thinking about it, there was no reason to keep putting it off. The sooner it was done and over with the sooner could Clay get over the internet reaction. He has been thinking about doing the reveal during some kind of a big event, but honestly, wouldn't this be better? A random day, with George by his side, looking more worried for him than he was for himself. If he did it today, he would only be stressing out over it for a couple of hours instead of days or weeks. There weren't many arguments for not doing it as soon as possible.

The question of how he wanted to approach it was considerably easy. He didn't have that many options, either doing a whole stream or just posting a random selfie on Twitter and Instagram. A stream would obviously be a bit harder than just clicking post on a picture. He would have to interact with his fans and look at their reactions right away rather than throwing his phone away until he felt ready to deal with it. His fans deserved more than just a picture, though. They've waited for long enough.

"Let's do a stream, Georgie." He said, offering him a wide smile. 

"What?" He responded, his eyes opening wide in shock. "Today?"

"Sure, why wait?" 

\---

They spend a couple of hours discussing the details of the stream, George still in a state of shock. 

“I want you to be on the camera with me.” Said Clay. “I feel like it’ll be easier for me to have you next to me on the screen.” He gave himself a bit to think about what else he wanted. “Let's just do a game of beating the end with face-cam.”

"I mean of course I'll be with you on the camera view. " Responded George. “Do you want to announce it beforehand?” He asked. “If not the reveal then the stream?” 

“I'm honestly not sure. I keep on going back and forward on whether I want to hype it up before or just do a surprise stream.” On one hand, he wanted this to be a big deal, on the other, he truly didn't. More people meant more nerves. "I feel like a lot of my fans would be disappointed if they miss it because I didn't give them a warning."

"Even if. It is your decision.” They looked at each other, Clay able to see all the support George was trying to communicate to him in his eyes. “Whatever feels right.” He said. Clay took a deep breath trying to settle down his fast-beating heart. 

"I will announce it, but without specifics. Just that it's gonna be an important stream." He decided, his mind settling down on one thing. He took a deep breath, getting himself ready. “Let’s set things up.” 

"We'll have to move things around." George smiled. The current position of their computers was specifically set in that made sure that Clay would be away from the camera frame, something, which was more of a hindrance now. 

"Yea... Help me move the desks?" He asked.

"Sure."

They pushed some things around and moved their desks together so that their monitors could be next to each other. They made sure that all equipment was working properly and that the camera view looks good and have both of them in view.

Everything ready Clay was staring at the button on his screen. One-click was keeping him from starting the stream. He could feel himself getting all sweaty, almost shaking slightly from the amount of stress that culminated in his body. 

He didn't lie that he didn't care about this anymore, but that didn't mean he wasn't super nervous right now. He could only hope that the reaction will be positive, but honestly, even if it turned out to be negative, he doesn't think he would care too much. It was just the anticipation, the waiting that was so nerve-wracking. 

“I’m here.” Reminded him gently George from his left side.

“I know.” He reached to take George’s right hand to splot their fingers together to ground himself. “I wouldn’t be able to do it if you weren’t.” He started the stream, camera still off, his and George’s intertwined hands hidden under the table.

“Hi chat.” He greeted his viewers. “We'll be beating the end today. ” Another deep, deep breath. "I know I said that today there will be  
something important happening on the stream and you'll just have to wait and see. ” George started to draw small circles on the back of his hand and Clay threw him a grateful look. 

“Should I just go for it?” He whispered to George feeling unsure.

“Only if you’re ready. ” George responded. 

“Okay.” He said, preparing himself and hovered his mouse above the last thing separating him from revealing his face. He held his breath in and then clicked, seeing himself and George appear on his stream screen. “Hello.” He said exhaling, a nervous smile on his face. “This is me.” 

The chat possibly exploded, thankfully with an overwhelming amount of words of encouragement and positive comments. Clay could feel himself deflate, the most difficult thing in his life yet already behind him. Well, the stream was still going, but his image was already out in the world, never to be a mystery ever again. 

“Okay.” He repeated, more to himself than to anyone else. A burst of laughter broke from him at the panic that the chat was in. "Surprise chat, you get a webcam stream. " The messages were appearing so fast it was impossible to read anything, the wall of text just flying up at an incredible speed.

"You should probably explain why today." Proposed George, squeezing his hand under the table. "They must be really confused." 

"That's true. Okay, so, the thing is, as you all know; George is here." He threw the other a quick smile. "And we want to be able to go out and have fun in some public spaces. Y'all know what George looks like, so it was quite obvious to us that were we to go somewhere, pictures of me would spread around. "He explained the best he could. "And if my image is going to be out either way, why not do a reveal now?"

"Imagine how shocked I was." Said George. "I just got to see him and then suddenly he was like: 'let me do a reveal to all the rest of the world'." He teased him. "I only got a few days of advantage." He complained jokingly.

"At least you got the advantage. Imagine the first time you saw my face would be during the first face stream. " He taunted back, smiling. He was glad that George turned their talk back to their usual bickering. 

They played the game, both protecting and attacking each other while trying to gather resources to get to the end. Their hands stayed linked the whole time, even though some people caught that their respective left and right hand never showed and their arms were in a very specific position. George kept throwing at him glances filled with something that resembled admiration that made him feel so brave. 

Sapnap called them 30 minutes in to scream at them for not telling him beforehand about what they were planning. They apologized laughing and tried to explain that it was mostly a spontaneous thing. He stayed with them until the end, poking fun of them and being slightly grumpy. 

The stream lasted for about two hours, everyone in chat being very sweet and respectful. It was fun. Just the two of them, broadcasting their image to hundreds of thousands of people. After saying his goodbyes he leaned back in his chair, his whole posture relaxing. He sighed deeply, all oxygen leaving his lunge before taking a slow breath in. George turned in his chair to face him, observing him attentively.

“You did great. ” He whispered to him. 

“Thank you.” He said back, smiling tiredly at the other. “I feel so exhausted now. Mentally.” 

“I’m not surprised. Maybe we should take an evening nap.” He proposed. Clay rose his brow at the choice of words. His heart doing a quick jump in his chest. 

"We?" He asked, not sure what the word implied. 

"I was nervous too." He said as if that would explain everything. It kind of did, but also really didn't. Clay could imagine that George was just as exhausted after the stream. Their nerves going down and taking all energy with them. What he wasn't sure was if George meant together as in _**together**_ , or as in at the same time. The brunette didn't look like he wanted to elaborate on the subject, leaving Clay to guess. 

Or maybe, based on the way George dropped his eyes and the slight blush on his face, this was intentional. He wanted Clay to be the one to decide how he wants to interpret the sentence and act accordingly. Clay supposed that George has been the one to do a lot of first moves, which he knows weren't easy on him. Maybe this was fair then. 

He stood up, taking his hand out of the hold, his fingers feeling a little stiff after spending so much time spread out and in one position. He stretched himself, cracking his bones, a loud yawn breaking out of him. 

"Are you coming with me, then?" He asked George looking at him and observing his reaction. The brunette lifted his head from staring at the hand from which hold Clay just freed himself, their sights crossing, yet another strand of connection forming between them in that exact moment. 

"Yes."

Clay led them to his bedroom, holding the doors open for George. It was the first time the other was seeing his room. It was unfamiliar territory for them, both not sure how to approach, how to proceed. Should he just lay down and wait for the other to join him? Wouldn't it be a bit awkward? Clay sat down on his bed, settling on opening his arms up to give George a way to get closer to him, which the brunette took, though slightly embarrassed. 

He slowly climbed on his lap, legs resting on either side of him. George's face was now too high for him to hide in Clay's chest, so instead, he set his chin on Clay's shoulder, pulling himself closer. Clay let his hands wander across the other's back, wrapping tightly around George's waist. For the first time, he let himself hold George with force instead of only resting his arms on the other's figure. He drew him in as close as possible, feeling the other melt under the strength of the embrace. 

Carefully, he lowered his torso onto the mattress, scooting a little to be able to fit on the bed completely. George was now laying on top of him, his whole weight distributed along Clay's body. He let one of his arms release the hold and move to arrange itself between George's soft strands, his fingers stroking delicately through the hair. He closed his eyes to be able to fully immerse himself in the feeling of having George so close.

By this point, it was probably safe to assume that both of them felt the same way. There was some intangible force pulling them together and neither of them wanted to resist its force. They kept on gravitating closer, gathering speed to finally crash into each other in a stellar collision. Only moments separating them from getting too close. 

There was some kind of indescribable happiness and peacefulness in the knowledge that when they finally let themselves fall, the other will be there to catch them. 

\---


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last one ^^.

Clay woke up to the feeling of soft fingers brushing against his face. They traced out his eyes, nose, cheekbones, the touch so light and gentle it made his skin tingle. He was lying slightly on his side, his arms clenched tightly around the waist of the person next to him. He felt so warm, both literally and figuratively, his entire being full of fuzzy happiness.

“Hi.” He heard a quiet whisper from right beside him. The voice making him almost tremble with how perfect it sounded, still slightly raspy after hours of sleep. “I think we might have slept for longer than we intended to.” 

“Is that so?” He whispered back, keeping his eyes closed. He didn't want this moment to end, for the atmosphere to change. “What time is it then?”

“It’s 9 in the morning.” 

“Really?” He said, surprised. They have both slept through the evening, the entire night, and a bit of the morning. He didn’t think he was that tired, but then again, he couldn’t remember the last time he felt so well-rested. 

"Mhmm..." He heard George hum in confirmation. He let his eyes flutter open, seeing George stare at him, mere inches between their faces. Clay has never seen George's eyes from this close by, the brown orbs sparkling in the morning light. He looked so pretty. His eyes wandered across George's features, noting every small freckle, the arch of his brows, the curve of his lips. He let himself drown in being able to admire the view before him. 

"You still look a little sunburned." He observed, this time allowing himself to stroke the flushed skin. "I guess it's another day of just us staying in."

"Good." Commented George, nuzzling into him. It's funny how bold both of them have become over the last couple of days. If one were to think about it, not even a week had passed since George flew to Florida. Somehow they went from George not even knowing what he looks like to them cuddling and sleeping in one bed. And it wasn't a one-time thing either if Clay had anything to say about it. It didn't feel like it was too fast, though, it felt long overdue. 

They knew each other for so long now. They both learned to depend on one another, to trust, to be there for each other. Every free second spent on the call, filming a video, editing, making a thumbnail, or just talking. It was crazy how much they managed to tie their lives together. 

He closed his eyes again to immerse himself in the feeling of having George so close. There is no way he would ever be able to live without this again. He felt so at peace as if everything was slowly clicking into its right place. If there was a way to stay like this for all of eternity he would take it without a moment of hesitation. 

Unfortunately, a time came when some of his human needs started to let themselves known, urging him to get up and start the day. He peeled himself off George with great disinclination, lingering with his touch up to the moment he had to break it off completely. 

"What do you want for breakfast?" He asked George, getting back from the bathroom, having taken his clothes with him and having already changed into them. The brunette was now sitting on the bed, his feet on the floor.

"Can we make the avocado toasts? I've never had one." 

"Really?" He said, surprised. " For sure we can. Are you coming with me to the kitchen, or do you want to get dressed first?" 

"I'll get dressed first." Replied Goerge getting up.

"Okay then." He said. "See you in 10 minutes." 

\---

Clay didn't think that George would be this... clingy. The other lured him onto the couch right after breakfast to sit on his lap and cuddle some more. It wasn't by any means unwelcomed, just surprising. He never perceived George as a very touchy person, so this was a completely new side of him he got to experience. To say he was happy about it, though, would be an understatement. He absolutely loved how George would just take what he needed from him, not being shy about it. 

Thinking about it, George had no one he could hug back in England. Clay knew that the other man's family was not inclined to physical displays of affection and the brunette had no close friends who lived nearby. He tightened his hold a little more. It would make sense for George to crave touch after being deprived of it for so long. He promised himself to make sure George would get as much affection as he wanted from then on.

He felt more than heard George mumble something into his chest. 

"I didn't catch that, baby." The last word slipping from his lips before he could even think it through. It didn't seem like George had anything against it though, he didn't stiffen or pulled away, so Clay was probably in the clear. He was pretty big on the pet names, the sole idea of calling George affectionate names making his heart skip a beat. Hopefully, George will have nothing against it because Clay didn't think he could stop them from leaving his mouth now that the first one was out. 

"Is it bad that I'm already dreading having to leave?" George asked him quietly. 

"Is it bad that I don't want you to leave?" He asked back, placing a small kiss on top of George's head. 

“I feel like I don’t even remember what it’s like not having you close.” Said George. “I know it’s not healthy, that I need to be able to exist without you, but I can’t imagine going back to how things were. “ Clay could feel him sighing into his chest. "I didn't lie when I said this is the happiest I've ever felt. "

Clay felt a pang going straight through his heart as if someone had stuck a knife in it. It was painful, but also so, so sweet. It made him want to hold onto George until he no longer had any strength left in his arms. He wanted to give him everything he was, all he had to offer. He had no words for now, though, made speechless, not knowing how to communicate something that would get across half as much meaning as what George kept giving him. 

"But..." Whispered George. "I know this can be so much more, and I can't wait for it to be." 

There were so many promises in that statement. It was clear that they were both walking alongside the same path, waiting for things to develop, to blossom. It took time, but they were already more than half-way there, so close to the point of change. Clay couldn't wait either, for his feelings to settle down, to become even stronger, even more overwhelming. There was no questioning if they would, no uncertainty. It was clear as the day what they will become to one another, what their relationship was transforming into. 

He pulled Geroge even closer to himself, breathing in the smell of the shampoo in his hair. Never before did he imagine that the other would fit so well in his arms, that they will be exactly what the other needed. He couldn't imagine any other person in the place of George, everything they shared before their first meeting creating too strong of a bond to ever be replicated. 

"I can't either. It'll be so much." He said, smiling to himself. 

"Did you... did you expect this?" Asked him George. Many emotions were stirring inside of Clay. It was hard to make sense of what he thought and what he didn't think would happen, what he hoped would happen. Did he know that this emotion, that was so overwhelming him now, was what he had felt for George a week ago? No. No, they had joked about it, teased each other, circled around the subject, but no. He didn't know. Was he surprised or shocked that this feeling had come up so soon after they saw each other in real life? Also no. 

"I guess... I didn't let myself. I was so afraid it would be one-sided that I blocked it out. But then I saw you and ... we clicked." 

"We did, didn't we? I knew there was something, but I didn't think I would act on it. But then our eyes met, and somehow, it became so easy to be brave. I had never experienced that before." 

That was true. Both of them had identified as mostly straight their entire lives, so it was surprising how they just let themselves go. There was no questioning whether it was something they both wanted, no need for an explanation. They just slowly fell into this, not afraid of rejection or ruining what they had. 

“I didn’t expect you to. To be so honest, to say those things you felt so bluntly to me. "

"Yea, it's just... The way you looked at me, you know? The way you continue to look at me. It feels like I already know everything I need to."

"Do you?" Clay asked him, tugging slightly at George's hair to make him lean away and look him in the eyes. Their eyes met, something hot and blazing sparkling in the brown irises. The heart in his chest was pounding so loudly. "Do you know everything?" He whispered. 

The brown eyes stared at him with a tender look in them. 

"I think I know enough. " George whispered back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked the story ^^. Honestly, I found it kind of difficult to write from Clay's perspective. It was hard to imagine his train of thoughts so I'm not sure I'd be trying that again, but it was fun for a bit. Please, leave a comment if you enjoyed it, even one word would mean the world to me.

**Author's Note:**

> Ok, so... This story is mostly written, with a few final changes that need to be made for the last chapter, so I hope to update this fairly regularly. Please leave a comment if you liked it and don't hesitate to leave constructive criticism, this is only my second story, and I want to improve my writing style :)


End file.
